The Great Gatsby

Hardcover

English language

Published Nov. 3, 1934 by Modern Library.

OCLC Number:
15374740

View on OpenLibrary

4 stars (13 reviews)

The Great Gatsby is a story of the fabulous 1920s that incredible period in American history that ended in a crash from which we are all reeling still. The editors of Time Magazine report that Gatsby was the "first racketeer in United States fiction." Countless novels and motion pictures have followed the pattern since, but The Great Gatsby remains the most brillian and understanding prtrait of the first mad days of the bootleg era. It is by all odds Scot Fitzgerald's best book, and one that nobody interested in the development of American literabure can afford to overlook. (front flap)

73 editions

A quick reread to get a feeling of his style

4 stars

I am pretty sure I read this long ago but this time I remembered virtually nothing about it. I picked this up as a second-hand paperback heavily highlighted by its previous owner(s), probably for a school assignment. All I really recalled was how the story was told from the point of view of a secondary character, Nick Carraway, who knows as little about the title character initially as we do and has to work out his attitude to all the principals as he meets them. What I was mainly interested in was the reputation it has had since its publication in 1925. The writing shows its age but I did notice the care the author took with each of the characters to establish a clear voice, and with the settings to help the reader imagine what it felt like to experience along with the characters. There are a few flourishes …

So Happy To Experience It Again!

5 stars

I was (like many) forced to read The Great Gatsby in high school, though I wish I hadn't as I was incapable of truly appreciating it at the time.

As others have mentioned, Fitzgerald's prose is unbelievable. In just a few words he can paint vivid imagery in your mind with layers of depth and analysis to accompany the emotions. The story and characters are beautifully written with a natural complexity that avoids the cliche 'good guys' & 'bad guys' we typically experience.

Just from my perspective alone, I found many themes and interpretations to the story which resonated with me, just to name a few:

  • Clinging to the past and trying to repeat history expecting a different outcome. Recently this has tied nicely into my romantic life, where I've been noticing some repetition compulsion.
  • Nick's character in general was someone I found myself heavily relating to, as I feel …

Review of 'The Great Gatsby' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

How does one review the Great American Novel™ without sounding like a hipster or a jerk?

First of all, the prose is gorgeous. Some writing you drizzle on your tongue like honey; some you cut into like steak (or maybe like vegetables); some you down like water. Fitzgerald's prose is fired at you like a fire hose, and you don't so much drink it as try not to let it bowl you over. The words individually are refreshing and packed with such meaning, but then on the whole they become an onslaught. An attack even. It's enjoyable in a terrifying way.

It's also unerringly true in that way only fiction can be. Everyone has secrets, everyone has regrets, everyone gets pulled along further than they might wish. By the end there are only one or two really likeable characters. You don't really know what you hope happens anymore.

The novel …

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